R.R. Bowker began accepting nominations for the 1999 LMP Awards January 1 on its Web site at lmpawards.com. All members of the publishing industry are eligible to nominate individuals in four major categories: sales and marketing; publicity; graphic design; and editorial. Nominations will close on February 15, after which a review committee will select the finalists, whose names will be listed on the Web site to permit the industry to elect the winners.
This year's review committee members are Emi Battaglia, v-p, publicity, Warner Books; Cathy Hemming, executive v-p and publisher, HarperCollins; Joseph Montebello, v-p and creative director, HC; Sally Richardson, president, trade and mass market division, and publisher, trade division, St. Martin's; and Rick Richter, president and publisher, children's publishing division, Simon &Schuster. The winners will be honored at a presentation at the 1999 BEA convention.
An LMP Advisory Board has also been formed this year to help broaden the scope of the awards. The advisory committee consists of Sara Crichton, Little, Brown; Jane Friedman, HarperCollins; Michael Jacobs, Scholastic; Michael Lynton, the Penguin Group; Robert Miller, Hyperion; Peter Olson, Random House; Nora Rawlinson, PW; Carolyn Reidy, Simon &Schuster; Richard Robinson, Scholastic; John Sargent, St. Martin's Press; and William Shinker, Broadway Books.Sales, Earnings Jump at HastingsHastings Entertainment reported that revenues in the third quarter ended October 31 rose 13.8%, to $91.6 million, while net income increased to $1.3 million from $90,000 in the comparable period in fiscal 1998. The sales gain was attributed to a 6% increase in same-store sales, as well as to the opening of five new stores in the quarter. Company chairman John Marmaduke said sales were up in all merchandise areas, including books, music, video and software.For the nine-month period, total revenues rose 13.1%, to $272.2 million, with net income jumping to $4.3 million from $2.3 million. As of October 31, Hastings had 128 superstores.
